evolve// 5SOS

6

Gabi

"You gonna come down for lunch?" dad called.

"No,"

"Come on,"

"No!"

"Awh come on," Ashton called, "Don't you wanna see me?"

"I don't wanna see anyone,"

I still laid in dad's bed, a book next to me. I had read for a bit, but got bored and just laid, thinking of nothing.

Ashton came up to the door and sighed, moving my book to sit next to me; I put my head on his lap and began to tear up, wiping them.

"I think this has been blown out of proportion, don't you?"

"Yeah,"

"So why don't you and dad apologise to each other. He was looking out for you, you were being a teenager. We all want you to be okay, but we can't control your decisions forever and you have to have some independence to learn your boundaries. Your dad just struggles, still,"

"Cos of mum,"

"Yeah. He doesn't want you hurt! But he just needs to process that better, in the same way I think you need to appreciate how much he looks out for you,"

"Well now I feel bad,"

"Good," he laughed, "Come on, have some lunch,"

I went to my room and put on deodorant, then brushed my hair and went downstairs to the table, dad already sat there with three plates of lunch.

"Sorry,"

"I'm sorry too," he said, pulling me to his side, "Eat up and we can still go on a walk, not a hike,"

"Can I have my phone back?"

He gave it to me and I put it in my pocket since it was an unspoken rule that we didn't use our phone while eating.

After lunch, I changed into leggings and a sweatshirt, putting on my trainers as well. Then, I put a collar on petunia and clipped on her lead, gently stroking her as I waited on dad. It turned out Ashton's wifi was out, so he had come over to try and use ours but walked straight into our argument- now he sat on our sofa with his laptop.

Dad and I left, him holding Petunia's lead, both of us in silence for a little while.

"So, is anything happening at school this week?"

"Nope,"

"What is your schedule like?"

"Normal. Henry can't bring me home on Wednesday though,"

"You could take our car if you wanted, I'll get a ride,"

"Maybe... thank you,"

"How are you finding the workload right now?"

"Difficult, I can't remember it all either,"

"Have you been using your planner?"

"No,"

"Well that might help a bit,"

"Maybe,"

"You've got this," he said, "You wanna have a break?"

"Please,"

We sat at a bench and Petunia rested by my feet, so I gently stroked her while dad drank some water.

"Dad, is there something I don't know about these blood tests?"

"What do you mean?"

"You seem extra stressed,"